one weekend last january i decided to take a little vacation down to egypt to get away from it all! (and study for the usmle step 2 on the beach). for $50 i stayed in the five star all-inclusive movenpick resort in taba, just across the border from eilat, israel. unfortunately tourists are staying away from egypt right now due to the political instability. and even more unfortunately just after the time i was there a bus full of korean tourists was blown up right at the border. it was special to be back in “masr” (egypt) after living there for a semester a while ago, although the luxury of the resort life in taba is nothing like real egypt. the buffet food was the best i’ve eaten in years! the movenpick hotel is a five minute walk from the border. and a pleasant surprise was learning that if you stay in taba, foreigners don’t need to pay any visa fees or taxes on either side of the israeli-egyptian border, fees which otherwise are quite prohibitive. wish i would have known about this earlier!
the taba border zone has an interesting history. the sinai peninsula was occupied by israel from 1973 until 1982 when it was returned to egypt following the israeli-egyptian peace treaty. there was a very popular israeli hotel built in the 70s just across the border, now the taba hilton. upon the return of the sinai to egypt both sides wanted the hotel, and the united nations had to arbitrate an agreement. it ended up going to egypt, but it was stipulated that the egyptians may not charge israelis an entry tax to go to the taba hilton. the hotel remained very popular among israelis due to its casino, but in 1994 the hotel was bombed and collapsed in its entirety, killing many, and israelis have generally stayed away since. and it was bombed again in 2004. it has since been rebuilt, but i vote the movenpick as the better place to stay in the border zone.
it was great to get a little sunburn and luxury in egypt in the middle of january! anyone at msih reading this – get yoself down to taba next weekend!
